Destination Dowerin

The development of a Short Term Accommodation facility in Dowerin

Executive Summary

The Shire of Dowerin is situated as the gateway for the Wheatbelt Way self-drive trail and is the

third stop on the Pioneer Pathway self-drive trail. For a number of years, Dowerin Shire staff and

community members have been actively involved in regional tourism groups such as NewTravel and

the Pioneers Pathways, investing thousands of dollars in marketing our region with the aim of

increasing tourist spend within our town site.

In 2011 Dowerin received an ‘RV Friendly Town’ Status with the inclusion of a RV dump point within

the town site. However despite this, the range of attractive, affordable and suitable accommodation

options in Dowerin is limited and feedback suggests that those tourists that we have worked so hard

to get to town unfortunately keep on driving.

The Shire of Dowerin received over 350 comments and suggestions from the community members,

local business and community groups in response to a community consultation process ‘Community

Future Surveys’ in 2012. Through this consultation process the community of Dowerin has outlined

that there is a current need to develop accommodation options within Dowerin and it was

highlighted that a high quality Caravan Park could be a major tourism asset for the Shire of Dowerin.

This document recommends that approval is given for the development of Concept Plans for a

Caravan/Accommodation Park. The proposed location of this facility is to the western side of the

Dowerin Community Club whereby power and water is easily accessible and the proximity to the

Dowerin Community Club will provide opportunity for increased utilisation of the Club’s facilities

The aim of the Short Term Accommodation Facility is to provide:

- An RV Friendly caravan park style accommodation suitable for grey nomads, couples and

families.

- A range of quality, affordable accommodation that is self-contained, air conditioned with

internet access suitable travelling sales/ reps and business people, couples and families

- A group style accommodation unit (bunkhouse) suitable for large groups such as car clubs,

4x4 groups, schools and DFD exhibitors

The accommodation park will be complete with communal BBQ area as well as an ablution block

containing showers and toilets (including facilities accessible to disabled people).

Community Profile

Green in winter, gold in summer Dowerin is situated 156 kilometres north east of Perth and is the gateway for the Wheatbelt Way self-drive trail and the third stop on the Pioneer Pathway self-drive trail.

Dowerin enjoys a temperate climate with winter rainfall and hot, dry summers. Dowerin offers the best possible standard of living within the Wheatbelt and is a one stop shop for visitors. An appealing country environment is complemented by the development of state of the art facilities such as the proposed Dowerin Community Club recreation facility.

Accurate tourist numbers to Dowerin are difficult to determine although Dowerin is home to one of

the largest and most impressive agricultural exhibitions within Australia. From a humble suggestion

for raising funds to water a tennis court in 1964, today the Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days has

put Dowerin on the map as home to the biggest rural event in Western Australia and continues to

attract a growing number of state, interstate and international visitors.

It is essential that Dowerin continues to keep a high profile amongst tourists & visitors to the region.

Despite the fact that the impact of tourism is not always obvious in Dowerin feedback from local

businesses highlight that there has been a significant increase in visitors to the town with steadily

increasing overnight stays at the Hotel, bed & breakfast and Caravan Park.

Project Background

Tourism in Dowerin

Notable good facilities are often a factor when encouraging visitors to stop for a break or even an

overnight stay in the Wheatbelt, the Shire of Dowerin therefore must strive to encourage a bustling

main street and a vast range of quality infrastructure for the benefit of residents and visitors to our

town.

Increased tourism can help arrest decline in regional populations and the Shire of Dowerin realises

the positive financial benefits that increased visitor numbers have on local businesses. For a number

of years, Dowerin Shire staff and community members have been actively involved in regional

tourism groups such as NewTravel and the Pioneers Pathways, investing thousands of dollars in

marketing our region with the aim of increasing tourist spend within our town site.

Dowerin itself is attractive to a tourist due to:

- Proximity to Perth

- History

- Field Days

- Flora & Fauna

In 2011 Dowerin received an ‘RV Friendly Town’ Status with the inclusion of a RV dump point within

the town site. However, despite this the range of attractive, affordable and suitable accommodation

options in Dowerin is limited and feedback suggests that those tourists that we have worked so hard

to get to town unfortunately keep on driving.

Crucially due to this reason our town, our businesses and our services are missing out on the ‘tourist

dollar’ which may help to sustain local services and facilities whilst enhancing the quality of life of

rural communities by creating opportunities to improve services and increase employment

opportunities at a local level.

Current accommodation

Current Accommodation in Dowerin includes:

Dowerin B & B - Currently has available 1 Double, 1 Family and 2 garden rooms. Single $99 and Double $132 including breakfast.

Dowerin Roadhouse Caratel - 8 units with twin beds.

- Single $70 and Double $80.

- $10 per night for a tent site

- $15 per night for a caravan site

Dowerin Commercial Hotel –Approximately 20 rooms being a mixture of singles, twins and doubles. - Single $50,

- Twin $60 - Double $65.

The Dowerin Roadhouse and Caratel and Dowerin Commercial Hotel would be classed as very basic

accommodation, while the Dowerin B & B would be classed as quality accommodation but only has 4

rooms.

External Research

Grey nomads, an increasingly popular tourist demographic in the region, have conducted their own

research by means of collecting their receipts from shops they had visited whilst staying in town.

Results demonstrate that they buy the paper, Lotto, food, medicines, 2nd hand items, items from

local craft shops and the merchandise found in the Visitor Centre when visiting towns within the

Wheatbelt albeit disputing claims that RV’s are self-contained and do not impact positively on the

local economy.

The Central Wheatbelt Tourism Strategy 2009-2014 (http://www.wheatbelttourism.com/wp-

content/uploads/2012/04/Central-Wheatbelt-Tourism-Strategy-pdf-final.pdf) outlines the current

situations and future trends for accommodation in the Wheatbelt at present. Items in this strategy

paint a familiar picture to the current range of facilities currently in Dowerin:

‘Much of the hotel accommodation in the region was built over 50 years ago and consists of the older style two storied hotel with small rooms and shared facilities located on the upper floor. This type of accommodation has limited appeal for the most market segments but represents 28% of the beds available’ And: ‘there is very little capacity for properties to accommodate tour coach passengers (up to 40 passengers) due to high corporate occupancy rates and a reluctance to hold rooms well in advance, a requirement needed for coach tour operators if they are planning to advertise tours through the central Wheatbelt. The lack of accommodation for the coach market, especially the seniors’ coach market, is a constraint in growing this segment of tourism business in the Wheatbelt’. Further to this, the Central Wheatbelt Tourism Strategy highlights that there has been little development in terms of built accommodation facilities within the region over the past 20 years and recommends that: ‘the development and awareness of accommodation products in the region including self-contained units, caravan parks, RV friendly sites and Bed and Breakfast properties should be encouraged’ And; ‘the range, quality and capacity of accommodation across the region should be increased’.

Community Consultation

The Shire of Dowerin received over 350 comments and suggestions from the community members,

local business and community groups in response to a community consultation process ‘Community

Future Surveys’ in 2012.

Through this consultation process the community of Dowerin has outlined that there is a current

need to develop accommodation options within Dowerin and it was highlighted that a high quality

Caravan Park could be a major tourism asset for the Shire of Dowerin. By attracting more visitors

through site improvements and provision of on-site accommodation, it would improve economic

sustainability of local business through higher numbers of visitors utilising local goods and services.

The development of a short term accommodation facility in Dowerin has been widely documented

as a ‘need’ for the community and is a recommendation as part of the Dowerin Strategic Community

Plan 2013-2017. Further this this, this project forms an integral part of the Dowerin Corporate Plan

which was adopted by Council in November 2013 and is a 2 year forward planning document for the

Shire of Dowerin.

Project Description

Destination Dowerin is an advisory document with an aim of providing a detailed recommendation

to Council for the further development of a Short Term Accommodation facility within the Dowerin

Town Site.

The aim of the Short Term Accommodation Facility is to provide:

- An RV Friendly caravan park style accommodation suitable for grey nomads, couples and

families.

- A range of quality, affordable accommodation that is self-contained, air conditioned with

internet access suitable travelling sales/ reps and business people, couples and families

- A group style accommodation unit (bunkhouse) suitable for large groups such as car clubs,

4x4 groups, schools and DFD exhibitors

The accommodation park will be complete with communal BBQ area as well as an ablution block

containing showers and toilets (including facilities accessible to disabled people).

Proposed Location

A number of possible locations for the development of a Short Term Accommodation have been

assessed for suitability of purpose.

1. Braithwaite’s Block Lot 154 and 155 Goldfields Road

Positives

Land is freehold - could be sold as a business

On main arterial route – visible to people passing through

Power water and sewer is available.

Negatives

Site is zoned residential Location is in between two occupied

residential dwellings Land has a sellable value Not in the Business district area

2. West side of Community Club

Positives

Close to licensed amenities Close to sporting facilities and field

days Power water and sewer is available.

Negatives

Site is zoned recreational purposes Land is only vested in the Shire Not on a main arterial route Not in the Business district area.

3. Old tennis courts site

Positives

Close to licensed amenities Close to sporting facilities and field

days Power water and sewer is available.

Negatives

Site is zoned recreational purposes Land is only vested in the Shire Not on a main arterial route Not in the Business district area.

4. Dowerin Bowling & Amenities Club site

Positives

Land is freehold - could be sold as a business

On a main arterial route – visible to those passing through

Power water and sewer is available.

Negatives

Site is zoned recreational purposes Land has a sellable value Not in the Business district area and

the furtherest away of the four options

The Vision

Within the next 24 months, the Shire of Dowerin will have an asset - a caravan/accommodation park being utilised in a profitable manner. If the development goes according to plan and the business starts to grow as expected, there will be more expenditure throughout the community as well as future employment opportunities for local people.

Location: This document recommends that a Caravan/Accommodation Park is developed to the western side of the Dowerin Community Club whereby power and water is easily accessible and the proximity to the Dowerin Community Club will provide opportunity for increased utilisation of the Club’s facilities.

This location has been determined as the most suitable due to:

Close proximity to DCC (licensed amenity)

Close proximity to Stewart Street

Close proximity to Dowerin Field Day site

Existing power & water

Otherwise vacant land

Commercial/Industrial zoned land

Area of proposed

development

Facilities The development will encompass a range of 3 accommodation options in order to cater for diversity in visitor wants and needs, complete with an undercover communal BBQ area and ablution block. The three accommodation options will include:

Powered sites within a simple and attractive caravan park which can be marketed towards travellers and groups looking for an old fashioned camping experience within minimal facilities, perfect for tents, caravans and RV owners.

Cabins with affordable prices and providing clean facilities which can be marketed towards grey nomads, couples, travellers and families.

Bunkhouse Accommodation which can be marketed towards large groups including schools, special interest groups and large groups of families and friends. As well as providing a good accommodation option for exhibitors at the Dowerin Field Day and other events held in Dowerin.

The caravan/accommodation park will be landscaped utilising water wise principals reflecting our

native flora & fauna with gravel paths and access routes.

Where to from here

A detailed plan of the proposed facility is required, encompassing all options outlined within this

document. From here, a more specific project budget can be outlined and this project will be ‘shovel

ready’ should any grant funding opportunities arise.

SWOT Analysis

STRENGTHS

• creating a new facility in Dowerin • Established need • Council & Community Support • Central Location • Close to DCC amenities • Large site, room for expansion • Prime location for usage over DFD • Current underdeveloped market in

Dowerin • Supports Central Wheatbelt Tourism

Strategy • May be eligible for future funding

WEAKNESSES

Upfront and ongoing costs

Distance from Perth

Lack of tourism attractions

Management Issues

OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunity for expansion

Room for development of cabins, powered sites and bunk house accommodation

Potential to develop a staged approach to the project

Opportunities for growth with the development of Tourism initiatives such as the Wheatbelt Heritage Rail

Lease potential

Future local employment opportunity

Possibility of linking management with that of the DCC

THREATS

Damage/Misuse of facility

Less than expected usage

Ongoing costs

Competition from surrounding towns

Changes in Local Government Priorities

Changes to Caravan Park Legislation

Lack of funding support

Establishing a Short Term

Accommodation Park in

Dowerin

Timelines

Conclusion

Dowerin has an established need for the development of alternative accommodation options within

the Town Site. Research has shown that Dowerin, its community, services and businesses are missing

out on a popular and increasing market which may benefit the long term economic future of our

community.

With proper planning, development and professional management Dowerin has the potential to

offer visitors to Dowerin with a high quality short term accommodation facility with a point of

difference to those in surrounding districts (the Bunkhouse). This facility will have potential both as a

business for the Shire and an asset to the town.

Recommendation

1. Council gives in principal support to the development of a short term

accommodation park to the western side of the Dowerin Community Club.

2. Council allocates $19,500 of the Economic Development Fund to the development

of concept plans for the proposed facility.

December 2013

Council appoints MCG

February 2014

MCG visit Dowerin to commence work on

Concept plan

June 2014

Concept Plans are finalised, project is included n

2014/2015 Annual Budget

December 2014

Building plans finalised

June 2014

Construction commences

March 2016

Project Completed

Appendicies

Central Wheatbelt Tourism Strategy 2009 – 2014 - http://www.wheatbelttourism.com/wp-

content/uploads/2012/04/Central-Wheatbelt-Tourism-Strategy-pdf-final.pdf

Fee Proposal – MCG Architects